Flying Pigeon LA Customs

As we have seen in previous posts, the Flying Pigeon and other Asian roadsters make a great basis for a custom bike. Perhaps nobody does this better than Josef and Adam Ali-Bray at Flying Pigeon LA, one of the North American importers.

Right now they are offering several customs right out of the box, or spec your own. Above, you can see their "Flying Pigeon Racer". Stripped down for speed, the Pigeon loses it's fenders and chaincase. It also loses the cottered crank and the brake rods.

But what it picks up is really quite nice: Coaster brakes for all wet-weather stopping power. (Yes, apparently it DOES rain in Los Angeles.), a modern tapered spindle and aluminum cranks.

As Josef explains "The cottered crank works fine, but with our spindle and cranks  you get a lighter setup and better reliability. You also get the flexibility to fit a smaller chainring for easier pedalling."

Inverted North Fork bars give it that sporty feel. The headset can be replaced with a  more sophisticated Tange product.

Of course, one thing all the bikes seem to have in common is tasty creme colored Schwalbe tires.
So maybe you like the path racer, but want something with a little more comfort and a little more utility and flexibility? Why not pop for the "3 speed racer" model below?  A more leisurely riding position and a king-size basket make for great trips to the local grocer. And if the grocer is uphill, you've got those extra gears.

 
But what if you want a more graceful commuting machine? Go "Deluxe", with a stepthrough Pigeon with basket and panniers. Perfect for your laptop and papers and a low stand over height means no fuss.

  
I'll toss in one more gratuitous "Deluxe model " picture because the brothers Bray-Ali not only make a beautiful ride, but they also know how to take a great photo!
 
Like what you see?...I thought so.

Flying Pigeon LA

Comments

[Larry Bone]

Nice stuff. I do wish it were a bit easier to acquire those creme schwalbe tyres though. They tend to be difficult to source and once you do find them are often just too much money.

Still, very nice work!

Cheers!

Larry "Boneman" Bone - FREEZING HERE!!!! in....
Dingmans Ferry, PA, USA

[Jmkd]

Mmm, loveliness. Goes without saying we would be fans of these at the Guvnor Owners' Club
http://www.guvnorownersclub.com

And Larry, you can get the Schwalbe tyres for £11 ($17) from UK retailer Spa Cycles of Harrogate but you need to drop them a line to estimate shipping.
http://www.spacycles.co.uk/products.php?show=1330